Falling For You, With You, Because of You
by sunny123781
Summary: OC x Stanley Pines. Stanley is in a slump, figuring that he will never find love like his brother, but when Carla and Stan set him up on a blind date (their second try, after the first date went horribly wrong), Stanley realizes that perhaps there's hope for him after all. But love is never so simple in a place like Gravity Falls where monsters and a certain demon say otherwise.
1. Chapter 1

It was a regular day around lunchtime and Stanley made his way into the kitchen.

"Hey bro," Stanford said as he was walking out of the room, no doubt having already made his meal. Stanford was always on top of preparing food, especially compared to that of Stanley who would occasionally forget to eat for days at a time, often too deep in research.

"Guess what," Stan continued, "you've got a date! It's one of Carla's friends." Stanley stopped and his twin passed him by. "Just don't blow it... okay?" He patted him on the shoulder as he walked by. Stanley continued to stand there unmoving.

He stood there for a moment, letting this new information sink in, and when he realized that this meant he had to actually interact with a human female he held his breath and began to sweat by the simple thought of it.

 _Oh God..._

Later that night Stanley found himself in front of the mirror. He was wearing his least wrinkled dress shirt and a black bowtie. The tightness of his clothes made him sweat. Okay, so it wasn't just the clothes that were making him perspire. How was he going to do this? He literally hasn't had to talk to a girl in months because of his research? Carla doesn't count, obviously, but like... how was he going to accomplish this?

And why was this tie so constricting?

He remembered that you should greet women with flowers when arriving on a date, but sadly, the only "flowers" Stanley had seen in his rush out the door were part of his carnivorous plant collection. So with a handful of venous flytraps, the theorist was out the door in a hurry as to not be late meeting his blind date at the movies.

His brother was chuckling at the nerves that were obviously overtaking Stanley as Ford stayed behind to give Carla an update over the phone.

"Yeah, Carla, he's already sweating like crazy," Stanford said with that loving mockery only found in the voice of brothers. She giggled through the phone receiver.

 _"Poor thing,"_ she replied. _"I hope he doesn't freak out when he meets her."_

"I think he'll be fine."

Carla was worried about her friend's reaction to the awkward Stanley she was soon to be meeting.

 _"Uh... I don't know, Stan. Jane is pretty... well, she's pretty down-to-earth. I was hoping that Lee would be more of himself like how he is around me."_

"Oh," Ford realized. It was exceptional that Stanley was so natural and normal around Carla to begin with but that was probably because she wasn't an option in Lee's eyes thus making it easier to act like a human being around her. Carla was the exception to Stanley's reaction of women.

 _"I mean, it's not a bad thing at all!"_ Carla justified. _"It's just that..."_ She stopped to think about the two of them meeting this way. " _Nah. I'm sure they'll be fine."_

Standing at the front of theater was the most painful thing Stanley had to do and he was the bait for luring out the multibear! Stanley's eyes traced everything that moved in hopes of finding the mystery girl he was so suddenly setup with. Ford and Carla were looking out for him, he gets it, but maybe if he had more time to prepare or-

Oh god. There was someone coming his way. It had to be her. She smiled at him, clutching the purse that hung around her shoulder, moving closer to the sweating Stanley. He was very aware of his body and his perspiration and how his words and hands shook. He was a mess but he was hopeful that maybe she didn't notice.

"Stanley?" she asked him, stepping closer. He nodded his head without words, momentarily forgetting to breathe. "Hey," she greeted him coolly.

 _Say something, say anything! Oh wait-_

He looked at the tight grip of his hand and saw the now wilting flytraps. That was a dumb idea but he had nothing else to go on. Oh god, how do words work. She's so pretty and composed and-

"Here's some flowers," he said, extending his arm. "I'm- I'm Stanley, you're date." He sounded ridiculous and he could hear the tension of his nerves.

"I'm Jane..." she said precariously, carefully taking the wilted green things from the nervous man. There was a pause and someone had to fill it. "So uhm... you're Stan's twin-"

"Do you also think aliens run the government?!" Stanley asked loudly in an uncalled-for manner. Jane was taken aback, startled by the brashness and strangeness of his question.

"Ah, okay!"

 _Shit, no, why..._

"Well hey, I uhm... yeah I uhm..." Jane took a step back. "I have this thing actually. But I just wanted to tell you in uh, in person. But yeah, sorry, can't make the movie. Heh. Bye." And she walked away, leaving Stanley alone once again.

 _Stupid! You literally hunt down the supernatural and deal with demons but you can't hold a normal human conversation with a woman,_ he scolded as he begrudgingly headed back to his car, head down and shoulders low.

He figured he wouldn't hear the end of this from Stan if he went back now and decided to drive around town instead, alone, trying to figure out why he was such a loser.

"How was the date?" Ford asked expectantly after his brother arrived home an hour later than expected.

"Huh?" Stanley hear his brother's voice but didn't register his question right away. "Oh... It was uhm..." He stopped in the living room, hands in his pockets and looked at his brother trying to decide whether to tell him the truth or a fabricated lie that would surely be unraveled later... he could tell him that it was alright but the words wouldn't form in his mouth. Honestly, he felt like shit and he knew he was a loser and since words weren't working for him that night anyway, he ended up looking elsewhere without answering and heading off to his room.

Stanford sighed, seeing the displeasure and embarrassment rolling off of his twin. He laid his head back on the couch, eyes wide and sketching swirls on the white ceiling. He sucked on his bottom lip as he realized just how badly that date could have, and probably did go wrong. He felt bad for his brother, the man who deserved a lady in his life just as much as the next. He had never had a girlfriend and seeing that Stan had Carla, they both figured that it was their duty to find Stanley the same happiness that they received from each other. That, and, he really needed to get out of the house- monster hunts weren't doing it for it either.

A week had passed and Stanley hardly left his room. He barely got up from the laying position on the couch and the floor. It wasn't just because of the date, it was more of like what the date symbolized to the poor, lonely man. Everyone wanted to be in some sort of relationship, to have someone to hold, to kiss, to do regular everyday things with... but that's something he obviously will never have; or so he's telling himself.

Stanley never really had any good friends growing up, he had Ford and Ford had him, but then Carla came around and ever since, Stan had been changed person. Stanley didn't resent Carla for it at all, he saw how happy she made him. If it were anyone he resented himself and his very poor people skills. Maybe he didn't belong in the real world, maybe his lot in life was discovering the mysteries of this wacky town and trying to avoid the mistakes made with Bill.

He'll never find love, it's official. He should just stop thinking about it, accept his fate, and move on.

He kept telling himself this but no matter the demanding tone or whimpering voice he used, he couldn't accept it for true. It was all he wanted, to be in a relationship, for someone to love him, but it was impossible. He was just a six-fingered freak with no clue on how to properly talk to the ladies, no matter the research he put into it over the years, he was hopeless.

 _No one'll ever love me..._ he told himself while lying face down in the cushions of his couch.

There was a knock on the door however, a quiet, gentle sound. Stanley didn't bother with it and Stanford popped his head in anyways. He had made a sandwich for Lee, seeing as how the man hadn't eaten yesterday or fed himself the day before that.

This was the worst Stan had ever seen his brother in, even when he can't solve one of his mysteries or when Bill finally betrayed him (Stanford never trusted that golden triangle to begin with).

"Ah... cheer up, Stanley," he said while walking over to him. "Here, I made you some lunch." Stanley moaned a sigh instead of taking his brother's offering. Stan rubbed the back of his neck. "Look Stanley, I'm really sorry about setting you up like that. Carla and I just thought it would be nice for you to- well, and we thought that Jane would be a nice match but she obviously isn't meant for such greatness."

Stanley sighed again, turning over and breathing the somewhat fresh air of his room while his eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Listen Stanley, she wasn't good for you, that's why it didn't work out. It's nothing on you, alright? So just, brush it off..."

"No Ford," his brother finally spoke, defeated, "it's just me. I'm terrible. No one is ever going to love me. It's nothing on you, it's just... _me_."

"Oh come on, Lee, don't be telling yourself that," Stanford said, kneeling beside him and putting the plate on the ground. "Carla overestimated Jane, alright? It's not your fault what happened. You were just being yourself and there's nothing wrong with that."

"There's obviously _some_ thing wrong with it. I've never _once_ had a girlfriend, Stan. I'm too old to never have had a girlfriend! I'm just going to be forever lonely. I've accepted that now." He sighed and looked at his concerned brother. "Thanks for trying, though. Thanks for the food." And he turned his attention back the ceiling.

Ford lingered for a moment before he realized that this was his cue to leave.

 _Poor Stanley,_ he thought, _he's so out of it, he's so sad... If there was just a good girl for him in this town that would prove that he'd be alright. Maybe if they just try one more time..._

 _I'll get you a girl_ , Stanley, his brother silently vowed to him as he was closing his door. _I'll do it for you and you'll be happier than ever._

Two days later and Stanley had worked up the energy to leave his room and preoccupy himself with work again. He did so at the kitchen table and even though he was too involved to really register anything else, Ford would take it. Slowly but surely he knew his brother would work his way out of this funk. He'd done it before that is...

"Yeah, okay Carla," Stan spoke into the phone, a knowing smile on his face, "I'll be over in a few. Love ya babe," and he hung up.

"Stanley, I'm taking the car to pick up Carla," Ford told his brother. Lee made a small noise and slightly nodded his head. He mumbled something under his breath and scribbled down code on a piece of paper. "We're going to dinner so I'll be back later."

"Yeah," Stanley mumbled absentmindedly, his pen still scribbling on loose papers.

Stanford watched him not moving and walked out of the door, the warm air of the world meeting him with the sweet promise of a plan underway. Carla would be giving her friend the go ahead and soon Stanley's newest blind date would be on her way over. This time they both put more thought into a future relationship prospect for the lonely theorist and came to realize, with much consideration, that Stella was going to be great for him.

But there was no way Stanley would agree to meet anyone else let alone leave the house. He'd become a hermit. The only logical execution of their secret plot would be for her to come here, both of them alone, Stella in on it of course... in a sense... and they'd hit it off! Carla and Stan knew they'd hit it off.

Stanley was in his realm, and soon, there was going to be a new player.

There was a knock on the front door.

Stanley raised his head, his brow furrowed. That didn't make sense. Stanford left only a few minutes ago and if he had to come back for some reason he wouldn't... knock on the front door. With a sigh and a few questions in mind, Stanley pushed his chair back and got up. People didn't usually come to the house, people in town didn't bother with them and anyone who was selling anything didn't realize there was a residence past the cemetery.

So when Stanley opened the front door he was not expecting to find a young woman standing there to greet him. She wasn't short like Carla was, in fact she was taller than her, and she was certainly less intimidating.

"Hi, uhm..." she looked up at him, her palms patting the sides of her thighs, "are you Stanley?"

He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her, holding onto the frame of the door. "Uh, yeah."

"Oh, hi," she smiled, tucking curling brown hair behind your ear. "I'm Stella. I've heard a lot about you."

"Uh... I'm sorry," he said, "Who are you?"

"Stella?" she said, her face getting red. "Carla and Stan set us up?"

Stanley was a gap to hear this and Stella's face burned even brighter. She turned away, extremely embarrassed, though came back and maintained eye contact.

"Oh my gosh. They didn't tell you?" He watched her, pacing in small steps. "I can't believe she'd do this to me! I'm so sorry. Gah, it's just, I don't know, I thought that this would be- Uh, it doesn't matter." She paused to look at him and he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

There was something about the genuine look in her eyes that drew him in, that wanted to know more about her. She was blushing like how he usually did when it came to things like this. Stanley knew what it felt like to be embarrassed or thrown into a situation you're not at all prepared for. No one should have to feel that way, especially when facing Stanley, I mean, he's the biggest nerd of them all.

She threw her arms down with a huff and looked at him head on. "I'm sorry to bother you." She gave him a defeated little smile and then turned away, beginning to march off his front porch.

Wait... Stan and Carla tried to set _her_ up with _me_? Was that why Stan left? I mean, I know he went out with Carla but...

"Wait," he called out, not having total control over himself at this point; not having the chance to over-think things. "Don't worry about it," he said to her like it was an offering, stepping out of the door. "Stan and Carla, they're just doing what's best. Even if their best isn't always great..."

Stella had stopped to listen to what Stanley had to say. She looked at him in wait to continue.

 _It doesn't seem right to let her turn away like this..._ Stanley thought, _maybe I should give Stan and Carla's judgment one last chance before throwing in the towel... She seems really nice actually, I mean, she hasn't run away yet._

"I mean, you already made it out here..." he says, going on a stretch. "You can come in if you want."

She smiled at him. A girl actually smiled at something he said, and not only that, but she walked _toward_ him instead of away. Stanley smiled too, more shocked than pure joy but he smiled and stepped aside holding the door open while she walked through the threshold and into his empty home.

Was this a date? Was a woman really in his home? It was incredible to say the least and the best part was that he wasn't even sweating that much.

"Sorry," she told him from inside the house, "I like, never do stuff like this."

"No, no, it's okay, I don't either..." He rubbed the back of his head. "Stan kind of surprised me with this... Not that it's a bad thing, you're not a bad thing, you're a good thing, uh... Do you want something to eat, or, or drink? I'd off you a seat but..." They both take a look at the table cluttered with open books and loose papers.

Stella chuckled. "What's all this?" She approached the table and peered onto the upside down papers.

"Oh, that's just my research." He could feel a heat beginning to rise onto his face. He could just see the outcome of this now. She'll look over and see theories and strategies about gnomes and other such monsters, about aliens and conspiracies .

Stella chuckled. "What's all this?" She approached the table and peered onto the upside down papers.

"Oh, that's just my research." He could feel a heat beginning to rise onto his face. He could just see the outcome of this now. She'll look over and see theories and strategies about gnomes and other such monsters, about aliens and government conspiracies, and she'll turn on her heel and run out of here. It was inevitable anyway, might as well get it over with before he develops an attachment to the girl.

This was it, Stanley realized, this was the moment he was going to see that look in her eyes; the look people gave him when they realized how... weird... he was. He was used to getting it but there was a spark of hope in this new girl that would make her giving him that look sting. It would confirm that he really would be forever alone. That was alright though... he had his hands full with this town and all its mysteries-

"Hey, this is really cool," she said, her rosy cheeks cupping naturally when she smiled widely. Stanley picked his head up, utterly surprised, and actually looked at her for the first time.

Her hair was dark, brown bordering on black, and she had freckles visible enough from the distance that Stanley was standing at on both her shoulders and cheeks. She had a button nose and big eyes, full lips, and an innocence about her that was all the more alluring; it was like she was willing to trust everyone. She wasn't skinny or thick but this weight in between that complemented the curves of her long physique. Her dark eyes were alight while her fingers traced over notes Stanley had recently taken, and when she accidently smeared a line she drew back and apologized.

"This is interesting," she told him, trying to lick out the pen ink staining her fingers, "I've always been allured by the local myths." She smiled at him and he felt something sweet radiating off of her. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide as a memory came to the front of her mind. "Oh man, there was this one time that I swear I saw a gnome at the edge of the woods. You can say what you want," she said, putting her hands up, "but there was a little man wearing a bright red hat, and he /winked/ at me before he ran off!" Stanley chuckled as he stood there, feeling quite comfortable. "Sorry, when I saw what you were theorizing about it I totally just remembered that. People usually just wave me off," and then she laughed quietly to herself, rubbing her arm.

"Me too!" Stanley told her, smiling and stepping toward his notes. "Well, I don't really tell people stuff like this anymore, but when I was a kid people thought I was either crazy or had the best imagination."

"Theories since childhood? You're in pretty deep." These words alone would have rung in Stanley's head because if they came from anyone else they would have been meant to harm or help him get over this stage of his life, but when Stella said this she meant it in the most endearing way.

"Yeah," Stanley chuckled. He stood over his seat, trying to organize his notes and find one in particular... also stashing away a few that she didn't need to involve herself with... but then he offered her a chair, dragging it closer to the front facing notes; not too close to himself though. She took the seat and Stanley fell to his own, pulling out some codes and theory notes about this secret government agency. Before he could explain to her what he was thinking, Stella spoke.

"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if aliens had a hand in our government."

"Exactly!" Stanley agreed loudly and quickly, not even thinking about the pace or volume of his reply. He felt a little exposed afterward but she smiled at him, examining his handsome features, and he relaxed some. He has never felt this comfortable or this low a level of finicky while in the presence of a woman he had a thing for. It was one of those moments where the attraction was near instant, and for the first time in forever, it was shared with him.

Stanley handed her his notes and she took them with a smile. She read them over and commented with her own thoughts all while Stanley tried his best not to break out in a flood of sweat. She was so wonderful. She was so kind. She was intelligent and she had the same thought processes as he did! Stan and Carla got it right, they got it really right.

"Okay, if you had to chose one year of your life to fully relive, what would you choose?" Stella asked him as a part of their questions game. They had moved their date to the couch, one on either side of it, facing each other. Stanley put his head back in thought before he answered, evaluating his life.

"Probably when I was ten or eleven, back in Jersey. Things were just simpler then, you know?" She nodded her head thoughtfully. "If you travel anywhere, where would you go?"

"Oh, okay... uhm. Does it have to be on this planet?"

"Huh. Good point." Stanley smiled at her. "I always forget about stuff like that. Yeah, I guess it doesn't have to be."

"Well in that case," Stella began, "I'd want to go to an inhabitable planet other than Earth. Learn new species, experience a whole new world, get away from all the dumb-dumbs on his planet."

"That sounds amazing. Would you mind if I came along?"

She giggled. "Not at all."

There was a pause between them.

They've been talking for hours. There's this... understanding between them, this mutual connection that pulls them closer to each other. It's unbelievable that they've never met before. Perhaps it's because Stanley is a near recluse and Stella isn't that much of a social butterfly either. No matter their lives before this successful blind date though, their lives now, knowing that the other exists, will be all the better.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Stanford was surprised to find his twin in the kitchen before him. Lee was awake and eating and not surrounded by books and theories. He looked like a normal human being doing normal human things, after all, that's what he was... wasn't he?

"So how was the date?" Stanford asked his brother as he walked passed him and toward the fridge. Stanley's head shot up, his eyes wide.

"It was great," he answered quickly with a smile. "She's... She's... great." He couldn't fathom any other word besides "great" but the fluctuation in his voice made it seem like it was an altogether different word than what it was.

"You liked her?"

"I _like_ her."

Ford made a hooting sound that made Stanley blush.

"Second time's the charm," Stan winked at his twin.

"I don't think that's how the phrase usually goes..."

"Only for the best matchmakers it does."

"She's brilliant, though. Where did she come from? Has she really been here this whole time?"

"Yeah, bro," he replied, taking a sip of the drink he'd grabbed, "you just needed to stretch your legs and step into the world. But look, I'm really glad you like her, from what I've heard she seems like a nice girl."

"You haven't met her?"

"Well she's Carla's friend," he told Stanley with an "obviously" tone.

"Oh."

"Did you set up a second date?"

"Uh... sort of?"

"Sort of?" Stan scoffed. "Uncertainty is no way to keep your girl!"

"You were even worse with Carla," he deadpanned his twin. It was true. The younger, pubescent Stan was a nervous wreck when it came to asking Carla on dates... even after they were technically dating. Stan stared at him for a moment, thinking back to those dark times, and moved on.

"What're gonna do?"

"Uhm?" Stanley rubbed the back of his neck, the question in his voice very blatant.

"Well, where are you going?"

"Uhm..."

"When are you going to meet again?" Stan asked, his voice getting louder along with Stanley's.

"Uhh..."

"Lee I thought you like this girl?" Ford exclaimed.

"I do!"

"Then set up a date!"

"Well we both agreed that we should do it again..." he remembered slowly.

"And?"

"And..." Lee left it open-ended. Stan sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and lifted his head back.

"Maybe I should call her?"

"I think you _should_ ," Stan offered. Lee inhaled sharply. He was never good at phone conversations.

"I'll do it later... Around lunch maybe. I don't know when she wakes up, I wouldn't want to bother her. And it isn't too soon or anything?"

"Uh, probably not. You like her, right? And she likes you?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Then it shouldn't matter. She's probably bursting at her seems just thinking about my nerdy brother." Stan smiled and stood taller, somehow complimenting both himself and Stanley at the same time.

Stanley looked down at his meal again as Ford went about his routine. He was smiling to himself. He was smiling about Stella.

It was after lunchtime that Stanley realized he would have to give Stella a call soon to configure the timing of their next date. But before he could work up the script to use there was a knock on the front door. Stanley, however, wasn't the one to hear the knocking as he was shut away in his room trying to work up the courage and tone down the nervousness heard in his voice.

There was a polite pause after the first knocks as to wait for the inhabitants to hear and walk their way to the front door from whichever point in the house. This pause was just enough time for Stanford to register that there was someone at the door and that he would have to answer it from his spot on the couch because he knew Stanley wouldn't be the one to do it.

Ford opened the regularly unlocked door to find a young woman standing before him. She looked excited and giddy, big brown eyes looking into him with a smile on freckled cheeks before the smile drops and she leans backwards. This was the reaction to expecting Stanley, thinking that Ford was Stanley, and then realizing this was indeed Stanley's more muscular, slimmer, and gruffer twin brother.

"Oh," she chuckled, "I thought you were Stanley for a second." She smiled again, though it was more shy than excited. "Hi," she said, offering her hand, "I'm Stella."

"Oh, Stella, right," Stan finally understood. "Hi, it's nice to finally meet you in person. I've heard a lot about you from Carla..." he told her, then began to smile and use a cutesie voice, torturing his brother he heard coming out of his room from the other side of the house. "And Lee hasn't been able to stop talking about you eith-"

"That's a lie!" Lee said, crashing into their conversation. He saw Stella, her large eyes and wide smile and realized he'd overstepped his intentions. "I, I mean of course I'd talk about you, I'd talk about you to everyone, but I haven't been talking about you because I respect our private conversations together and the confidentiality of-"

"I don't mind," she said softly over the sound of Stanley trying to continue.

"Oh my god, Lee, stop. Please."

"Uh... yeah. I've uh-"

"You've got this," Ford told him with a sigh and a pat on the shoulder. He turned away and left his brother to his girl.

"So hi again," Stanley smiled, his face a light shade of pink.

"Hi," Stella replied, bouncing on the balls of her feet, her smiling brightening her freckled cheeks. "I hope this isn't too brazen," she said quickly, her smile dropping slightly to atone for the more serious statement. Stanley realizes that she talks with her hands, and that one of them is behind her back.

"No, no, not at all, of course not." Stanley didn't want to blush anymore as he could feel the already present warmth. He was never a blabbering mess around Ford or the monsters he took notes of...

Stella smiled at him and there was a slight pause before she continued on with her upbeat attitude. "So yeah, anyway, the reason I came over is because I was checking the mail and _this_ came in-" She whipped around a magazine, the title page reading: **ASTRONOMY: Are We Alone?**

Stanley stood there in awe for a moment and let it sink in. "You're a subscriber? This is the latest addition?" he asked loudly, reaching out for it. She let him take him.

"Yeah. I was wondering if you wanted- I mean, I thought we could look through it together and come up with theories and..."

"Oh my god I would love to," he told her immediately.

"Cool!" she said, sucking on her bottom lip for a second and bouncing on the ball of her feet while looking him straight in the eye. There was a pause as Stanley realized she should probably invite her in.

"We can go to my room so Stanford won't interrupt us," Stanley proposed, motioning toward the stairs. Stanley had two rooms, three if one counted the basement, in the house. One was his study which was on the first floor where he could be found passed out at the desk or crashed on the couch, and the other was his bedroom which is where he actually slept occasionally; that was on the top floor.

"Okay," Stella agreed and followed him. "Yeah, I saw it in the mail and I immediately thought of you."

"I was actually about to call you," Stanley told her. "See when you wanted to have another date."

"Oh," she said, blushing (though she was behind Stanley and he didn't notice), "well then I guess this worked out just fine."

Stanley's room was large. There was a triangular window at eyelevel when you first walked in and on the left side of the room was Stanley's twin bed. The walls for the most part were bare minus the posters, schematics, the polaroids, and the theories. He had a chalkboard and a typewriter, the typewriter found on the table below the window that also had stacks of books upon it, and the chalkboard angled on the right side of the room.

Stella looked around, pleased to have a look at this man's private quarters not because it is a sensual place but because this is an inside look into Stanley's mind; his most inner self splayed on display in this private space so few have witnessed. And now, Stella was one of them... whether he intended to have this effect on her or not. Stella always loved having a look at people's bedrooms, it was like a private look into their souls and dreams, it was lovely and pure.

"We can sit on my bed if you don't mind," Stanley proposed as Stella politely walked around the room examining many things.

"You're a very interesting man, Stanley Pines," she decided, climbing onto the bed. He was surprised to hear such a compliment... from anyone, really. But it felt nice to be noticed even if it was nonchalantly.

They sat close to each other, their backs against the wall and they flipped through the magazine. The read the many articles and discussed what was to be discussed such as how life didn't have to have the same evolutional patterns as it did on Earth because other plants are obviously different, that not all life needs water to adapt and survive and how our laws of physics might not apply to other solar systems. This discussion bled into the one where they discussed the evolution and spectacular survival of life on this planet and how monsters and mystical things most certainly have a chance of being real because of the spectacular evolutionary survival rate of weird plant species that are being found on the daily in wild jungles around the world. They "don't even bother to mention" the fact that most of the oceans are unexplored let alone certain landmasses and that it is only a matter of time before everyone comes to realize just how real lore and nightmares are.

"I love thinking about stuff like this," Stella told Stanley in a breathy voice, pleased at their calming talks.

"So you've always believed in magic and Santa Claus?"

"Oh, of course!"

"And don't forget about the little bearded men living in the woods that like to wink at pretty girls."

"You're mocking me!" she gaped with a smile, sitting upright and looking at the man she was slowly developing feeling for.

Stanley smiled at her, pleased at how she outwardly expresses her emotions without holding back. He told her that he wasn't mocking her and that he too has seen them.

"Them?" she asked, facing him head on with a bold attention. "You've seen more than one?" Her eyes sparkled with mystery and the hope of ideas about to be revealed as truth.

"Oh yeah, defiantly," he assured her, trying to keep his cool although his face was threatening to blush. He should really have learned to calm down around her. Although it's their second time hanging out together, ever, they've spent so much of their time during these dates and he feels like they're already so close... that they have the potential of knowing everything about each other and learning to truly trust one another.

Stella's eyes widened when she heard this and scooted closer to him. "Tell me everything," she asked him quickly, her heart beating at the thought of revealing truths about the bearded man she was told was only a dream. _How can you dream when you're wide awake, standing upright in the middle of the day!_ she would most often think to herself in reply.

She smiled slightly although her was being serious. She always seemed to be smiling, Stanley noticed, he liked that about her.

"Well the gnomes aren't the only things that live in the forest..." he began, and then he told her everything he should about the folklore and the mystery of the forest surrounding Gravity Falls.

" _What?_ " she gawked after not saying much during his recap.

"All the local folklore?" he brought into question. "It's real. Well, a lot of it is. And like I said, there's even more things that have gone unnoticed."

Stella watched him gaining excitement on the matter and she couldn't help herself but hop aboard.

"Like..." he looked around the room for one of his journals and managed to spot ONE on the other side of the room. He should really be more careful on where he stores these things. He got up, retrieved it, and stood against the bedside where Stella had crawled to. He took the leather bound book and flipped through it with ease, standing above Stella next to the bed where she looked up at him.

His soft belly was very close to her and all she wanted to do was hug him and feel the natural plump of his body. The light shined against the forefront of his rounded glasses and she could clearly see the dimple in his chin.

"Here," he decided, his finger pointing to a good entry for her to start on. It was a Gryphon. The same Gryphon that tried to carry Ford and leave him captive in its massive nest.

"What," she deadpanned, totally into it, taking the journal Stanley handed her and began to analyze it. She read the entry he had written with a furrowed brow and look at him to affirm the facts.

"No..." she scoffed, hoping that he would indeed deny her denial.

"Yeah," Stanley affirmed, proud.

"Oh my _god_ ," she gawked, her voice taking on a higher pitch as her lips parted and her jaw dropped. This was just the proof she needed to have her dreamer spirits lifted to when she was a child; true, absolute belief. "Can I just, like, flip through this?"

"Go ahead," he said, feeling exposed but not afraid. The only other person besides himself who had ever looked through the journals had been his brother, and Ford had lived through most of these monsters so he knows without having to read Stanley's notes.

"This is... this is insane... have you been... playing monster scavenger hunt or something? How do you have all of this information?" She began to flip through the pages quickly to scan all of the filled pages. Stanley's eye caught the page Bill was on and he swallowed hard , taking a moment to move past the chill that always ran down his spine. _Traitor_ , he always thought, quickly followed by, _Gullible_.

"Uh, yeah," he replied to Stella, "something like that," and then he laughed a single sound like an embarrassed huff. He didn't feel the need to be too embarrassed about it though, she was accepting his journal, his words, and _himself_ for truth. That was because it _was_ truth! And now someone else would finally know.

He never realized how accomplished he'd feel at a moment like this, a moment of sharing knowledge, of being accepted. It felt great and he wanted to tell her everything, well, mostly everything.

"When I was little I always dreamed of going on an adventure in the woods to find some mystical beast," she told him. "When I was a teenager I never had anyone to go with."

"Well I know some good places," Stanley told her sheepishly, "I could take you." "Safe" places is what he meant. The forest was a dangerous place for sweet girls like her... It was a dangerous place period. He couldn't count the times Ford came home with a bloody nose or bandages that wrapped around Lee's own body. Maybe he shouldn't have offered-

Her eyes twinkled at the thought of it and she answered immediately. "I would love to go into the woods with you!" Stanley smiled and his worries melted away.

Ever since he got to know her on that first date her spirit made things better, made him smile, made the world more approachable, she'd really grown on him. He'd grown on her too. She loved his hushed excitement about the things he loves, the dimple in his chin which was the most alluring thing beside his belly pudge and his perfect eyes. He made her happy to be here, like he appreciated her (it was true, he did), and that alone was something she valued highly in a man.

She remembered all those times Carla had told her about Stan and how sweet he was to her, how he put on the tough-guy act for the world and to impress her when in reality it was she who impressed him. They were perfect for each other and Stella had always wanted something similar. Now, for the first time in ages, in possibly forever, she felt like she could have the chance at something perfect, too.

They decided that why not just go into the woods right now? They had nothing better to do and since the idea was fresh in their minds and the blood in their veins were pumping, now was a good a time as any! (Plus the sun was still up!)

Stanley opened the door for Stella as Stanford came walked over to meet them. Stan asked his brother where he was going and Lee nonchalantly answered that he was taking Stella into the woods. Stella, who was on the front porch, looked back and waved at Stan smiling and excited. Ford looked at his brother like he was crazy.

"No?" Ford told him, saying it more like an offering to take or leave.

"Yeah, no, this'll be fine. I've got this," Stanley assured his brother. And with that he closed the door behind him, leaving his twin to walk back into the house with statement-like questions brimming at the forefront of his mind.

 _Uhm, no? This is a bad idea?_ but Ford didn't have the effort or the will to go after him or do anything about it. Sure Lee would take Stan along when he went out researching because he always got in over his head with the monsters and Ford was the only muscle around, but he was sure that Lee wouldn't be throwing Stella into the pits of danger. If Stanley thinks he can handle it, Stan is sure he'll try his best.

 _If they aren't home by sundown_ , he decided, _then I'll go out looking for them_. He sighed to himself and went back to going about his business.


End file.
